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title: Adobe Gila's
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Sometimes lizards have great margarita recipes. At least Adobe Gila's mascot and mythological founder—a gila monster decked out in a scarf and sombrero—has one worth crossing the country for. Fortunately, its restaurants in Ohio, Orlando, and Chicago make it so nobody has to travel too far. In each location, these frozen drinks take center stage, with Gila mixing up more than a dozen varieties. Beneath the soft glow of neon signs, frozen strawberry, raspberry, and lime margaritas fill 64-ounce mugs, which patrons can take home once they drain. Meanwhile, giant, fishbowl-sized cocktails allow for lessons in sharing—as do chips, salsa, and made-to-order guacamole.
Other Mexican dishes complement the drinks—namely sizzling fajitas with chargrilled chicken fish—but the menu also makes sure bargoers overcome by more local cravings find plenty of wings and burgers. And Adobe Gilla's goes a step beyond the traditional watering hole, too. On the last Friday of every month, the team throws what they call the "world's largest happy hour," when the restaurant transforms into a giant party with live music, DJs, karaoke, and requisite smiling.

Tecalitlan in Rochelle is a well-known Mexican restaurant, featuring a relaxed ambience with a flavorful menu. The excellent quality, set in a relaxed environment, will have you coming back for more.
There's no particular required attire, so feel free to dress comfortably.
If you're looking for the perfect spot for a get-together between family or friends, it's been reviewed as a great local option for both big groups and families with kids. It offers convenient local delivery, and can even cater events in the area. Or, if you just want to pop in for a beverage, the restaurant does have a pretty decent selection at its bar.
Specializing in both lunch and dinner, Tecalitlan Restaurant definitely won't leave you disappointed. Don't worry about trying to find a spot on the street, as visitors to the restaurant do have access to a private parking lot nearby.

A culinary gem, El Burrito Fantastico in Roselle is a popular spot for a delicious menu. The reasonable prices allow guests to focus on what matters: the perfect quality.
There's not really a recommended attire, so feel free to dress comfortably. Also, though the overall price can be a bit on the low side, you won't be sacrificing any quality. In fact, you should be able to enjoy a good meal for $11 or $12, and can probably get in and out for $8 if you try.
If you're searching for the perfect spot for a family gathering, it's been reviewed as a great local option for big groups and families with kids.
A highly-regarded spot for both lunch and dinner, chances are you won't walk away from El Burrito Fantastico disappointed. Don't worry about trying to find a spot on the street, as visitors to the restaurant do have access to a private parking lot nearby.

A pandemonium of parrots hangs down from the ceiling at La Hacienda de Roselle, dressed in bright shades of red, green, and orange. These colorful décor items mimic the restaurant’s vibrant dishes, from bowls of guacamole to red snappers bedecked in onions, jalapenos, and ruby red tomatoes. The chefs also expertly stuff Mexican sausage, spicy pork, and shredded beef into tacos and burritos. Throughout the cozy eatery, conical lights softly illuminate the blue-and white checkered cloths and linen napkins that adorn each table.

One of the better-priced Mexican restaurants in Rosemont, customers of Baja Fresh won't have to smash their piggy banks for a good meal and enjoyable experience. The family-oriented atmosphere and reasonable prices allow guests to focus on what matters: the quality.
While the prices may be low, you can bet that the ingredients will be fresh.
One of the better fast-food chains in the area, a trip to this Baja Fresh is definitely worthwhile.

It's the perfect time to visit Friendlys Place, a top-rated Mexican restaurant in Roselle. The great quality, set in a familiar atmosphere, will have you coming back for more.
If you need food provided for a local event, take advantage of its catering options.
Friendlys Place definitely won't leave you disappointed.

Groupon Guide

Mole is a sauce often served at Mexican restaurants all over the world. Most believe that mole sauces must contain chocolate, however they do not. Checkout these eight spots across Chicago and the Suburbs showcasing housemade mole of all types.Mixteco Grill The dining room at Mixteco Grill celebrates art with beautifully done paintings placed around the room. The chef specializes in Oaxacan cuisine and the mole Negro is one of the best around. They are also one of the few Mexican restaurants in Chicago to offer a brunch menu. BYOB.Frontera Grill Acclaimed chef Rick Bayless opened his flagship restaurant in 1987 and has been cranking out some of the worlds favorite Mexican food ever since. The mole trio at Frontera Grill is a popular menu item that skillfully showcases a variety of mole preparations. There has also been careful consideration given to the tequilas chosen for the restaurant.La Quebrada La Quebrada’s authenticity draws in the locals so there is always a packed house. Service is prompt and ingredients are always fresh. The mole is a featured sauce on their menu, often ordered with their chicken or goat. They also feature a local Mariachi band a few times a week.Taco Nano Chef Freddy Sanchez set out to introduce the North shore to his vision for fast casual Mexican food. Taco Nano focuses on using fresh organic ingredients in creative ways. They offer a duck confit taco topped with a black mole and crowd pleasers like their various fish tacos. The restaurant is vibrant, colorful, and inviting.El Barco Seafood, seafood, seafood, is the reason why most visit El Barco. Popular among locals, it’s also a destination restaurant for foodies seeking a whole fried red snapper. Their mole is served with fresh chips at the beginning of the meal, but also available as an accompaniment for other dishes.Aguamiel Popular among the after work set, Aguamiel of Clarendon hills has an impressive menu. The executive chef Enrique “Kike” Gomez learned from world renowned chef Rick Bayless while working at Frontera Grill for many years. The restaurant offers a variety of mole selections on the menu.Salsa Verde Located in a busy strip mall along RT. 34 in Yorkville, Salsa Verde serves up a great mole. The restaurants owners encourage families to dine out, often offering deals for children. The fresh and unlimited salsa bar located in the dining room is a real crowd pleaser.Tacos Tequilas Specializing in Margaritas and tacos, Tacos Tequilas aims to have something for everyone. The restaurant keeps late hours in an intimate setting. The red mole chicken tacos are a popular menu item, regularly ordered by repeat diners. The owners have set out to honor tradition while adding a modern touch.Photo of mole dishes courtesy of Salsa Verde Restaurant

To most people, a tamale is one thing: a steamy bundle of corn masa wrapped in a cornhusk. But Jorge Miranda, chef at the Chicago Mexican restaurant Chilapan, knows better. “You can make a tamale out of almost anything,” he said.
Growing up in Mexico City, Jorge learned to cook from his grandmothers, one of whom hailed from the southern state of Michoacán. She wrapped her tamales with the leaves of maguey, the same plant used to make tequila and mescal. Maguey gives the masa a minty, anise-like taste. “It’s really good, but it’s different,” Jorge said.
Tamale shapes and fillings also vary. Another Michoacán specialty is the corunda—a cornhusk tamale in a triangle shape. In Guerrero, where Jorge’s other grandmother is from, people still make tamales nejos—tamales stuffed with pure corn masa, without any meat filling or extra fat. The ancient Aztecs often ate this type of tamale while on long journeys.
Tamales used to be easier to find in his neighborhood, Jorge said. “When I came to the US in 1991, there were tamales all over the place. You’d just go outside your apartment and there was someone selling them,” he said. Thirty years later, these tamale street vendors are much fewer and farther between—in swiftly gentrifying Logan Square at least.
Jorge has a solution to the local tamale drought: in August, he plans to start selling tamales at a takeout window in the mornings, alongside horchata, jamaica, and other snacks. In keeping with his restaurant’s eclecticism and his diverse roots, Jorge’s tamale menu won’t draw on any one regional cuisine.
Inside Chilapan’s brightly painted dining room, he took us through the steps of making one of his more exotic varieties of tamales. Though the southern state of Oaxaca is probably best known for its complex, heavily spiced moles, its unique tamales are a regional specialty, too. Wrapped in banana leaves instead of the usual cornhusks, they acquire an earthy, herb-like taste that feels appropriate for a rustic, home-cooked meal. Look for this Oaxacan variety and others at the tamale window.
How to Make a Oaxacan Tamale
The masa: A key ingredient in Mexican cooking, masa is a dough made from ground corn that has been treated with water and lime. Like many chefs, Jorge moistens his masa with a fat, such as lard or vegetable shortening, before pouring it onto the tamale wrapper. Each tamale should be about 60% masa, 40% filling, Jorge said.
The filling: You can fill a tamale with almost anything. Here, Jorge has chosen cochinita pibil—Mexican pulled pork. It’s not particularly Oaxacan—the dish actually originates farther east, in Yucatán—but its rich, slightly sweet flavor is a good match for the earthiness of the banana leaf. Just like the masa, cochinita pibil takes a while to prepare. After soaking the pork in a marinade made with achiote, he packs it into a roasting pan with banana leaves, pineapples, and oranges and cooks it slowly in the oven for four hours at 250 degrees. The result is incredibly tender, easy-to-shred meat.
The wrapping: Banana leaves are more brittle than cornhusks and crack easily, so they can’t be bundled into the usual tamale shape. Instead, Jorge folds them into rectangular packages, as if they were birthday gifts, and ties them with stray leaf strips.
Cooking and serving: Compared to cornhusk tamales, Oaxacan-style tamales take slightly longer to cook. Once he has a few finished tamales, Jorge puts them in a pot filled with a little water and steams them for about an hour. To serve, the kitchen staff unwraps the bundles and tops them with pickled red onions and drizzles of salsa and sour cream.
Photo and video by Andrew Nawrocki, Groupon. Music: "Playtime" by Jahzzar, under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
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Autentico-ness: does a metric to measure such an ephemeral quality exist? As we considered the Mexican restaurants of Chicago, we asked ourselves some questions. Do they make their own tortillas? Has it been run by the same family for years? Besides pollo and carne, can you also get lengua or birria? Do they refuse to put tomatoes on their tacos? When you walk in, do you feel like you’ve found a wormhole that leads directly to the Zócalo in Mexico City during a free Carlos Santana concert?
Here’s our list, from pretty autentico-est to most autentico-est:
9. Rick Bayless: Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, Xoco
We can’t talk about Mexican food in Chicago without talking about Rick Bayless. Just from the way he speaks about his “beloved Oaxaca,” it’s evident that he treats the cuisine as he did his fellow contestants on Top Chef Masters: with the utmost respect and reverence.
Homegrown: 10 | Family connections: 5 | Fiesta-esque-ness: 9
8. Lindo Michoacan (Albany Park | 3148 W. Lawrence Ave.)
Although you don’t have to go through the supermarket anymore to get to the restaurant, it’s still attached, and its proximity to all the ingredients means that everything is made from scratch. One of our Guide writers swears by the lengua ranchera, calling its mingling of tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions “not far from the flavor of a thick, meaty pot roast.”
Homegrown: 8 | Family connections: 5 | Fiesta-esque-ness: 7
7. The Tamale Guy (variable)
The Tamale Guy is a well-known denizen of Chicago’s nightlife, popping up in kitchen-less bars right when you need something to soak up the suds. Rumor has it that he and Mrs. Tamale Guy craft these tamales by hand in their home kitchen, so they’re just as good when sober. Attempts have been made to keep tabs on him, but it’s best when his appearance seems serendipitous.
Homegrown: 8 | Family connections: 8 | Fiesta-esque-ness: 6 (admittedly, it’s always a party when the Tamale Guy shows up)
6. Paco’s Tacos (Brighton Park | 4311 S. Archer Ave.)
Why is it that a taquería with no website or Facebook page just seems more legit? Refrain from asking for what we call the Taco Bell special (lettuce and tomato)—they only put cilantro and onions on these tacos. You might be tempted to skip the barbacoa or al pastor tacos for the crunchy, freshly made chicharrón sitting just next to the grill up front, but—insider tip—you can have those on your tacos as well. There’s also a tacos-only outlet at Supermercado La Internacional (4556 S. Ashland Ave.). Just make your way to the back of the market to get to the taco stand.
Homegrown: 8 | Family connections: 7 | Fiesta-esque-ness: 7
5. La Oaxaqueña (Avondale | 3382 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
Known for its dark, smoky mole, this spot specializes in Oaxacan recipes that deviate slightly from your run-of-the-mill Mexican place. Tacos come loaded with meat, including the salted and cured cecina, which has been called “an absolute knockout.” The cooks also make their own chorizo in house, as well as the trio of salsas, which work well on their own or splashed on plates all at once.
Homegrown: 10 | Family connections: 6 | Fiesta-esque-ness: 8
4. El Rey (Brighton Park | 4157 S. California Ave.)
El Rey was a finalist in our Chicago’s Most Chicago Restaurant bracket for its unfailing loyalty to its customers, cops, contractors, students, and one very enthusiastic alderman. Aside from tacos stuffed with cesos and lengua, one of the house specialties is the gringas, or “marinated pork, onions, and cheese wrapped in pristine white flour tortillas.” Rey Macias, who manages the restaurant for his parents, is a neighborhood kid. He went to high school just across the street.
Homegrown: 8 | Family connections: 10 | Fiesta-esque-ness: 9
3. Nuevo Leon (Pilsen | 1515 W. 18th St.)
Even if you weren’t looking for this spot, you couldn’t miss it. The top two floors of the exterior are painted in an abstract brick pattern, while the first floor’s bright yellow is a beacon to all who pass. Inside, faux archways and open-air windows are painted on the walls, so you can pretend the blast of the heat or AC is actually a tropical breeze. Open since 1962, this might be one of the old-schooliest joints on the list, especially since they only take cash.
Homegrown: 9 | Family connections: 7 | Fiesta-esque-ness: 10
2. Mom’s Old Recipe Mexican Restaurant (Jefferson Park | 5760 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
Sisters Malena Basave and Ana Arriaga use their mother Elena’s recipes, which have been passed down for generations in the tiny town of Tilzapotla, Morelos. Specialties include as the tacos acorazados—open-faced griddled corn tortillas topped with rice and steak milanesa. Also, the space is bright and welcoming, and the marigold walls pop with colorful paintings of plantain trees and other scenes from the homeland.
Homegrown: 9 | Family connections: 9 | Fiesta-esque-ness: 9
1. Cemitas Puebla (Humboldt Park | 3619 W. North Ave.)
Chef-owner Tony Anteliz knows that some ingredients must come from the source. Though his family grows many of the herbs and spices in his mother’s garden, they fly to Mexico every month to buy certain ingredients, such as chipotle peppers and oaxaca cheese. The cemita is his hometown’s version of the torta, and you’ll often find Tony’s father supervising things in the kitchen to make sure they’re just so.
Homegrown: 10 | Family connections: 10 | Fiesta-esque-ness: 8
Here’s Tony talking about the cemitas:
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Frontera Grill photo by Andrew Nawrocki, Groupon; Lindo Michoacan photo by Patrick Winegar, Groupon; El Rey photo by Nathalie Lagerfeld, Groupon; Cemitas Puebla video by Ben Nissen, Groupon.